You Were Always On My Mind
by cloloveswah
Summary: ONESHOT - Alice isn't happy when she returns to Leopards Den as she worries about her relationship with Danny. Rosie finds out and decides it's time her father stepped up to the mark.


**You were always on mind**

_Alice returns to Leopards Den but she isn't happy. When she admits to Rosie how she really feels, she decides her father needs to take action._

She couldn't take it anymore. The arguing, the sharp comments, the sly remarks, the fighting. She didn't mean to be so angry, but it was hard not to feel angry when he was acting like it was all her fault. It wasn't all his fault either but his complex was just wearing her down and the way she felt, God, she knew there were people feeling ten times worse than her but she couldn't take it any longer. The feeling of trying to impress him, not get in his way, the feeling of loneliness. Without realising she had managed to reach the animal hospital where her step-daughter Rosie was sat trying to complete her dissertation. Alice sighed,

"Sorry Rosie." She said brokenly, "I'll go elsewhere and leave you-"

"Alice." Rosie exclaimed jumping up out of her chair, "What's wrong?"

"No, you do your dissertation." Alice insisted, trying to halt the tears with her hand, "I'll be fine."

"No." Rosie replied sternly, "You are going to sit down and tell me what's going on. You've not been the Alice I know and love since you got back here. What's wrong?"

"What's right?" Alice sighed as Rosie forced her into a seat, "I don't know anymore."

"Hey, what's brought this on?" Rosie questioned softly, touching her step mothers knee. "Alice, if it's Dad you can say, for the record I think he can be an idiot at times too."

"I shouldn't..." Alice began, "Fine." She relented seeing Rosie's face, "I just... I don't think we're good together anymore." She sighed as she heard Rosie's gasp, "Don't gasp Rosie. All we do is argue, fight, hurt each other. It's not good for anyone, least of all Robbie."

"But Alice you and Dad are amazing together."

"Were!" Alice cried, "Were-"

"Do you love him?" Rosie questioned.

"You know I do... he's my world." Alice quietly whispered, "But he doesn't love me anymore, at least, it doesn't feel like he does. I feel unloved Rosie. This marriage feels loveless." She began to cry once more, "And it hurts."

"Alice." Rosie said softly, hugging her stepmother tightly, "Dad does love you..."

"Then why do we hurt each other? Why is he breaking me? Why Rosie, am I crying to you? Why don't we kiss, hug, hold hands and as much as it may gross you out, why is our sex life non existent?" Alice shook her head, "That's not a good marriage."

"Alice, Dup and Caroline would gross me out." Rosie smiled, "We're adults - I don't expect to be celibate at your age." Alice chuckled as Rosie continued, "Have you spoke to Dad?"

"We don't speak anymore Rosie, we shout." Alice replied, "It's like we're on one way street that's downhill and the brakes just aren't working... and we're going about a mile too fast."

"You need to talk Alice!" Rosie insisted, "What did you say to me? Talk."

"But what if he says he doesn't love me anymore? What if he tells me it's all over and the only talking he wishes to do is through a solicitor?" Alice cried, "I couldn't take that Rosie... I just couldn't."

"Alice don't give up." Rosie snapped, "Dad's pigheaded, you know that, but he's also got a heart of gold. You and Dad, you have a special kind of love... people don't find that."

"Well, good on them because this special love might as well kill me now that it's doing one." Alice sniffled, "I'm sorry Rosie... I just... I can't take much more, it's like me being in London has made him realise he's better off without me."

"You don't need to apologise, you just need to work out how to make things right." Rosie replied smiling, before digging in her pocket and giving Alice a tissue, "Here."

"Thanks, how's the dissertation going?" Alice asked,

"Not sure it's any good." Rosie admitted.

"Hand it over." Alice smiled, "I'll read it."

(x)

Danny had been called out on an emergency and chosen to take Rosie with him. There was a silence between father and daughter as Rosie wondered how on Earth to approach the topic. Her Dad didn't seem any happier than Alice did and she wondered if this was all down to a lack of communication?

"Rosie, what is it?" Danny sighed as he drove through the bush.

"Dad, you still love Alice right?" Rosie asked quietly and shyly.

"More than my own life." Danny replied, "We might be going through a rough patch Rosie but I still love her."

"Alice is scared you don't. She thinks you don't love her anymore, she's petrified you're going to divorce her because her time in London has made you realise... you don't love her."

"What?" Danny squeaked, slamming the brakes, "When did she tell you this?"

"Yesterday, she didn't want too, I've learnt off the master, Alice how to get information out of people. She came into the surgery in tears, she tried to leave but I forced her to stay and tell me."

"Alice? Crying?" Danny repeated on a hoarse whisper.

"Yes." Rosie snapped, "Crying."

"Jesus." Danny breathed, "I didn't think-"

"Dad, what do you expect? She feels like she's in a loveless marriage and who can blame her? There's no love in your marriage at the moment."

"You discussed-"

"Yes." Rosie replied, "Alice needed a confidant, it's not like she has anyone else around here to talk to - well considering you're out of the question. You need to sort this out Dad, before you do lose her. You didn't see her, I've never seen her in so much pain. It was raw emotion Dad."

"I missed her." Danny admitted, "London made me realise how much I loved her. Every day without her, it hurt. I didn't treat her the way that I should have but, she was always on my mind."

"Who are you? The Pet Shop Boys? Dad, you have to sort this. Now, I can get everyone out the house tonight but you have to sort this out."

"Done deal." Danny murmured, his mind working over time. The Pet Shop Boys were one of Alice's favorite bands, and he knew exactly what he'd do.

(x)

Alice frowned as she entered the house, no-one was about. She called a few times but still not one came out. She sighed, so she had this lonely house to herself. She noticed Rosie had left a note saying she'd taken Robert over to see Junior, as Fatani had rang to say he had him Cashile for a couple of days. She smiled, at least Robert was ok.

She wandered aimlessly until she heard a buzzing coming from the living room, she groaned as she noticed the CD player was still turned on. She wondered what song had been playing - after all, it was a rarity it was used with all the iPods, iPhones and various other devices within the house. She pressed play and smiled as she heard the Pet Shop Boys. Liv became her guess - Liv had a good taste in music, Alice mused. The song Always on My Mind began to play. Alice grinned, she loved this one.

**_Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should_**

**_Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could_**

**_Little things I should've said and done, I never took the time_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

Danny walked in slowly, and came behind his wife. She turned sensing his presence, she gasped. His eyes were shining with love, the green defined and beautiful. He was smiling as he offered his hand. He looked gorgeous, wearing a very slimming dark blue shirt with a pair of dark skinny jeans. She slowly took his hand, standing as he began to slow dance with her.

**_Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times_**

**_And I guess I never told you, I'm so happy that you're mine_**

**_If I made you feel second best, I'm so sorry, I was blind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

Danny looked into her eyes, before beginning to sing quietly into her ear. His hot breath washing over her.

**_Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died_**

**_Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied_**

**_Satisfied_**

**_Little things I should've said and done, I never took the time_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

Alice began to cry but for the first time weeks, they were joy filled tears brought forward by her Husband's romantic ways. This was the Danny she knew. She moved to wrap her arms tightly around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder. She missed him, she missed this, she wanted this.

**_Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died_**

**_Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_You were always on my mind_**

**_Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should_**

**_Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could_**

**_Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times_**

Danny pulled away slowly from their swaying hug, in order to look her in the eye as he sang with as much sincerity as he could muster.

**_And I guess I never told you, I'm so happy that you're mine_**

As the song closed, Danny slowly raised his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb swiftly wiping a tear away as he gazed at her so tenderly.

"So I'm going to tell you now. I am happy that you're mine. In fact, I'm more than happy, there isn't a word for how I feel about you." Danny whispered, "I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you, I don't deserve you... please, let me make you happy again."

"I can't carry on with how we are Danny. I need you." Alice cried, "Please don't hurt me." She whispered, her blue eyes awash with fresh tears.

"I promise you, I won't. Alice, I know I've not been any sort of Husband lately but I love you, more than is rational. London made me realise just how much I loved you. Every day was a struggle without you by my side, and I know I made some damn foolish decisions but sweetheart, you were always on my mind." Danny told her passionately.

"I love you." Alice croaked, "I love you." She repeated again.

"So, has your sweet love died, do I get the chance to keep you satisfied?" Danny asked nervously.

"My love for you will never die." Alice replied, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Danny grinned, before slowly swooping down and kissing her. It was like their first kiss all over again, full of passion, full of a freshness, full of desire and love but now with a familiarity and solidarity. As her hands ran wildly through his hair, he, without breaking the kiss lifted her off her feet and carried her into their room. He broke the kiss to set her down, and almost immediately, more tears filled Alice's eyes.

He'd placed candles all around the room, casting a soft yellow glow over it, the subtle detail mixing with the beautiful scent coming from the incense stick he had lit. Petals lined the bed and soft, piano music was playing quietly in the back ground. Alice spun and kissed him with pure passion. Danny laughed on her lips before slowly leading her to the bed, ready to show her exactly how much she meant to him and eliminate every worry she had.


End file.
